About this Research Topic

Background

This Research Topic will be accompanied by a symposium held in Lübeck, Germany on January 12th, 2018. The agenda can be found here:
https://www.symposium10yearsgwas.com/

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies, as a prototype of large-scale OMICs studies, have advanced our understanding of the genetic basis of many common diseases. With respect to coronary artery disease (CAD) and cardiovascular risk factors, like lipids, blood pressure or BMI, they have identified hundreds of chromosomal loci that modulate disease risk. Despite their scientific success, GWA studies have been criticized for having failed so far in delivering diagnostically or therapeutically relevant products. However, the ability to achieve such goals has been strengthened recently by further layers of OMICs-based data, including large-scale transcriptomics data, and better annotation of regulatory sequences and epigenetic changes in the genome (e.g. through the ENCODE project), as well as novel tools for bioinformatics analysis, allowing a systems medicine based approach to be applied. All in all, the last decade with its “gold rush of genomic discovery” led to the identification of known and novel pathways involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and point to novel treatment targets.

Here, the aim of this Research Topic is to gather contributions from scientists working in the field of cardiovascular genetics who have common interests in understanding the pathomechanisms linking genetic association findings and disease to finally translate the findings from large-scale genetic studies into novel treatment options. Articles can be original research, reviews, or mini reviews.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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